Download age related changes in the morphometric parameters of the heart

Pakistan Vet. J., 2006, 26(2): 59-62.
AGE RELATED CHANGES IN THE MORPHOMETRIC PARAMETERS OF THE HEART,
KIDNEYS AND ADRENAL GLANDS OF NILI-RAVI BUFFALO (BUBALUS BUBALIS)
R. HUSSAIN, A. S. QURESHI, R. U. SHAHID AND S. U. RAHMAN1
Department of Veterinary Anatomy, 1Department of Veterinary Microbiology,
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to improve the basic information on the morphology and histology of the
organs directly involved in the blood pressure maintenance of an individual. A total of 40 clinically healthy
Nili-Ravi buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) were divided into two age groups of 20 animals each viz., young (1248 months of age) and adult (49-96 months) of either sex. The results revealed that the absolute weights of
heart, kidneys and adrenal glands, mean values of width and circumference of heart, thickness of wall of
right and left atria and ventricles, mean values of length of right and left kidneys, width, circumference, and
length of the adrenal glands were significantly (P<0.05) higher in adult buffaloes than young ones. The
average relative weights of heart, kidneys and adrenal glands were significantly (P<0.01) higher in young
buffaloes as compared to the adult ones. The relationship of the width of right adrenal glands between
young and adult buffaloes was non-significant. It is concluded that the absolute weight, width,
circumference and length of heart, kidneys and the adrenal glands increase, while relative weights of these
organs decrease with advancing age.
Key words: Anatomy, heart, kidneys, adrenal glands, buffalo, age.
The better knowledge of morphological norms and
the causes of their variations are essential not only for a
better understanding of physiology but also for a correct
diagnosis and prognosis of diseases (Sarwar et al.,
1991). The present work was carried out to study the
morphometry of major organs involved in
cardiovascular problems and blood pressure regulation
through renin-angiotensin-aldosteron system i.e. heart,
kidneys and adrenal glands in young and adult NiliRavi buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) of either sex.
INTRODUCTION
Nili-Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is ranked as
the best dairy breed of the world. Pakistan is the
world’s largest buffalo meat producer, followed by
India, China, Thailand and Vietnam. There are about
25.5 million head of buffaloes in Pakistan (Anonymous,
2004). In view of the important role of buffalo in the
rural economy of Pakistan, this specie is known as the
“Black Gold” of the country.
The heart, kidneys and adrenal glands are
interconnected
through
renin-angiotensin-aldosteron
mechanism and play an important role in the blood pressure
regulation (Saavedra and Trimmermans, 1994). Renin is
produced by the juxtaglomerular cells of kidneys, its
secretion is increased by stimuli that decrease extra-cellular
fluid (ECF) volume and blood pressure or increase
sympathetic output (William, 1995). Renin converts
angiotensinogen (present in blood stream) into angiotensinI, the latter is converted into angiotensin-II by the action of
angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). Angiotensin-II
produces arteriolar constriction and a rise in systolic and
diastolic blood pressure. Angiotensin-II also acts directly on
the adrenal cortex to increase the secretion of aldosteron
(life saving) and has direct effect on the blood pressure of
individual (Guyton and Hall, 1996).
Extensive research work has been carried out to
improve the basic information on the morphology and
histology of the bovine heart, kidneys and adrenal
glands during past few decades (Nagra et al., 1989;
Görlach, 1992; Mischke, 1997; Morovvati and
Alboghobesh, 2002).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Forty clinically healthy Nili-Ravi buffaloes
(Bubalus bubalis) of either sex were divided into two
age groups with equal numbers viz., young (12-48
months) and adult (49-96 months). The samples of the
heart, the left and right kidneys and the left and right
adrenal glands along with fat tissue were collected from
each animal immediately after slaughter from the local
abattoir. The body weight of the animals was estimated
by the following formulae, as described by Khan et al.
(2004):
For young (up to 48 months):
Y= -1697.226 + (16.761) X1+ (23.947) X2 + (0.514) X3
For adult (49-96 months):
Y= -1604.790 + (1.268) X1+ (30.902) X2 + (3.960) X3
Where Y= Live weight in pounds, X1= Height in
inches, X2= Girth in inches, X3= Length in inches
Following collection, parameters including
absolute weight, relative weight, length, width,
circumference, thickness of wall of right and left atria
59
60
and ventricles of heart were recorded. The absolute and
relative weights of kidneys, length, width, and
circumference of the left and right kidneys and the left
and right adrenal glands were also recorded. The
samples were weighed with the help of electrical
weighing balance. The Vernier’s Calipers was used for
the measurement of thickness of the right and left atrial
and ventricular walls of heart. The means, standard
error of mean (SEM) and ranges for each parameter
were computed using Microsoft Excel software. Group
means of young and adult animals were compared by
Student’s t-test. All computations were done with the
statistical software MSTAT.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A
Heart
The heart of the buffalo was conical in shape and
had pointed ventricular part, having thick left
ventricular wall (Plate 1). The mean values of absolute
heart weight, length, width and circumference were
significantly (P<0.05) higher in adult animals than
young ones (Table 1). Similarly, the mean values of
thickness of wall of right atrium of adult buffaloes were
significantly (P<0.05) higher than young ones. The
walls of left and right ventricles were thicker (P<0.01)
in adults than their counterparts. These findings are in
general conformation with Panhwar et al. (2004), who
reported a significant increase in the size of heart with
progressive age in buffaloes. Many workers have
studied these parameters in cattle and reported a rise in
heart weight with advancing age (Mischke, 1997).
A
Pakistan Vet. J., 2006, 26(2): 59-62.
Table 1: Mean values (± SEM) of anatomical
parameters of heart in young (12-48
months) and adult (49-96 months)
buffaloes
Parameters
Young
Adult
1606
±
2561
±
Absolute heart weight (g)
53.86
71.57**
0.42 ±
Relative heart weight (%) 0.43 ±
0.004
0.04*
17.57 ±
24.34 ±
Length (cm)
0.52
0.54**
15.18 ±
19.85 ±
Width (cm)
0.41
0.34**
30.87
±
39.10
±
Circumference (cm)
H
0.92
0.79**
Thickness of wall of right 1.33 ±
1.65 ±
atrium (cm)
0.05
0.03**
Thickness of wall of left
1.74 ±
1.86 ±
atrium (cm)
0.04
0.04*
Thickness of wall of right 1.49 ±
2.76 ±
ventricle (cm)
0.03
0.12**
Thickness of wall of left
1.9 ± 0.03 3.17 ±
ventricle (cm)
0.14**
* = Significant at P<0.05; ** = Significant at P<0.01
prominent (Plate 2). The macroscopic studies revealed that
the average absolute weight of both the kidneys in adult
buffaloes was significantly (P<0.05) higher as compared to
their young counterparts. The mean values of length of right
and left kidney are significantly (P<0.01) higher in adult
buffaloes than young ones. Same was true for the width of
right and left kidneys. Similarly, the mean values of
circumference of right and left kidneys were significantly
(P<0.01) higher in adult than young ones (Table 2). No
literature was available to compare these results in
buffaloes. These results were however, in agreement with
Mischke (1997), who reported a similar trend in cattle.
Rv
Pm
Lv
Lvw
Plate 1: Section of heart of adult buffalo (49 months)
showing the conformation. Conical and
pointed ventricular part and thick left
ventricular wall are visible. A=Aorta,
Rv=Right ventricle, Ct=Chordea tendinae,
Pm= Papillary muscle, Lv= Left ventricle,
Lvw= Left ventricular wall
Kidneys
In buffaloes, renal pelvis was absent, renal papillae
projected into calyx minor and renal columns were very
H
Rp
C
M
Plate 2: Section of left kidney of a young buffalo (36
months of age) showing its internal structure.
Pelvis is absent, renal papillae project into
calyx minor, renal columns are very
prominent. H= Hilus, Rp= Renal papilla, M=
Medulla, C= Cortex
61
Table 2: Mean values (± SEM) of anatomical
parameters of kidneys in young (12-48
months) and adult (49-96 months)
buffaloes
Young
Adult
Parameters
Absolute weight of both 937.0 ±
1285 ±
kidneys (g)
41.55
22.55**
Relative weight of both
0.25 ±
0.21 ±
kidneys (%)
0.003
0.004**
Length of right kidney
18.61 ±
19.56 ±
(cm)
0.32
0.32**
Length of left kidney
18.59 ±
21.96 ±
(cm)
0.45
24.05*
Width of right kidney
12.22 ±
13.46 ±
(cm)
0.14
0.26*
12.45 ±
13.58 ±
Width of left kidney
0.21
0.25**
Circumference of right
23.76 ±
26.73 ±
kidney (cm)
0.310
0.54**
Circumference of left
24.46 ±
26.60 ±
kidney (cm)
0.40
0.41**
* = Significant at P<0.05; ** = Significant at P<0.01
Adrenal gland
In the buffalo, the left adrenal gland was flattened, VLaadrenal gland was
Ra C-shaped, having
shaped, whileLa
right
convex lateral surface (Plate 3). The average absolute
weight of both adrenal glands was significantly (P<0.01)
higher in adults as compared to young animals. The mean
values of length of adrenal glands were significantly
(P<0.01) higher in adult than young ones. However, the
difference between the width of right adrenal gland of
young and adult buffaloes was non-significant. The mean
values of circumference in right adrenal gland were
significantly (P<0.01) higher in adult than young ones
(Table 3). These values are in line with Morovvati and
Alboghobesh (2002), who reported same trend with the
advancing age in buffaloes. Mischke (1997) reported same
tendency in cattle.
La
Ra
Plate 3: Dorsal views of right and left adrenal glands
of an adult buffalo (49 months of age). La=
Left adrenal gland (flattened, V-shaped),
Ra= Right adrenal gland (C-Shaped, convex
lateral surface).
Pakistan Vet. J., 2006, 26(2): 59-62.
Table 3:
Mean values (± SEM) of anatomical
parameters of adrenal glands in young
(12-48 months) and adult (49-96
months) buffaloes
Young
Adult
Parameters
Absolute weight of both 23.70 ±
33.85 ±
adrenal glands (g)
1.12
1.17**
0.06 ±
Relative weight of both
0.05 ±
0.001
adrenal glands (%)
0.001**
Length of right adrenal
5.03 ±
6.69 ±
gland (cm)
0.05
0.09**
Length of left adrenal
5.17 ±
6.85 ±
(cm)
0.08
0.100**
3.84 ±
4.13 ±
Width of right adrenal
gland (cm)
0.06
0.015NS
Width of left adrenal
2.85 ±
4.82 ±
gland (cm)
0.05
0.22**
Circumference of right
7.40 ±
8.17 ±
adrenal gland (cm)
0.19
0.34**
Circumference of left
5.75 ±
9.30 ±
adrenal gland (cm)
0.35
0.47**
* = Significant at P<0.05; ** = Significant at
P<0.01; NS = Non-significant
On the basis of present comparative investigations
it is concluded, that absolute weights, width,
circumference and length of heart, kidneys and the
adrenal glands increase, while relative weights of these
organs decrease with advancing age.
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